Randomised Controlled Trial Investigation Of A Non-stimulant In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$588,960.00
Summary
Atomoxetine (ATMX) is a viable non-stimulant alternative to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), however, clinicians require more objective information on its effectiveness. This is the first study to examine the effectiveness of ATMX using objective cognitive and emotion markers in ADHD. The outcomes from this project will be a significant step towards a 'personalised medicine' approach to ADHD, providing clinicians with increased options in the treatment of ADHD. ADHD is cons ....Atomoxetine (ATMX) is a viable non-stimulant alternative to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), however, clinicians require more objective information on its effectiveness. This is the first study to examine the effectiveness of ATMX using objective cognitive and emotion markers in ADHD. The outcomes from this project will be a significant step towards a 'personalised medicine' approach to ADHD, providing clinicians with increased options in the treatment of ADHD. ADHD is considered the most common neurodevelopmental or child psychiatric disorder. ADHD affects approximately 10% of children and adolescents, in other words, 'at least one in every classroom'. ADHD has a significant burden, including treatment costs, family stress, loss of productivity, increased risk of drug abuse and accidents. It is increasingly clear that new medications need to be evaluated to make ADHD treatment more effective and efficient. The vast majority of medicated ADHD individuals are treated with stimulants, which are controlled substances. A large number do not respond to stimulant treatment, and in others the potential for abuse remains. Some ADHD report negative feelings about taking stimulants and there is growing concern about increasing prescription rates. ATMX is a recently approved non-stimulant (therefore, non-controlled) to treat ADHD, with evidence of clinical effectiveness. Yet, the impact of ATMX on objective measures of a range of cognitive and emotional function has not been studied. Several lines of evidence indicate it is effective for these functions. ATMX has been shown to alleviate inhibitory capacity, while stimulants have not. Of the 30% of ADHD who do not respond to stimulants, the least responsive are those categorized as 'internalizing' types who show allied anxiety. Common disturbances may underlie abnormal inhibitory capacity and impaired emotional recognition in ADHD that is best treated with ATMX rather than stimulants.Read moreRead less
Investigating A Theoretical Model Of Cognitive Control In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Informing Our Approach To Cognitive Training.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
ADHD is the most common childhood developmental disorder, characterised by inattentive and/or hyperactive behaviours. Cognitive control has been highlighted as a potential mediator of ADHD symptoms. This program will i) delineate the relationship between cognitive control and ADHD symptoms, ii) develop a cognitive training intervention to target the underlying mechanisms identified as mediators of ADHD symptoms and iii) evaluate the program in a gold-standard clinical trial.
The Genetics Of Cognitive Deficits In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$675,512.00
Summary
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder of childhood that is marked by age-inappropriate levels of inattention and-or hyperactivity-impulsivity. The disorder appears genetic with a number of different genes likely contributing risk for ADHD. This project takes an innovative approach by asking whether there are different genetic profiles associated with children with ADHD who do or do not have neurocognitive deficits.
Serotonergic Mechanisms Underlying Impulsivity And Vulnerability For Stimulant Addiction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,318.00
Summary
There is increasing evidence to suggest that impulsivity, a personality trait associated with an increased tendency for premature actions, may predispose individuals to stimulant addiction. The current study employs a non-invasive brain imaging technique in rats – positron emission tomography (PET) – to investigate the implicated role of serotonin (5HT) in impulsivity thereby providing potentially new insights into neural vulnerability mechanisms underlying stimulant addiction.
Cognitive Phenotyping And Personalised Treatment For Methamphetamine Addiction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$483,402.00
Summary
Prevention and treatment of addiction to stimulants such as methamphetamine is imperative for community health and safety. This fellowship will enable me to apply my expertise in impulsivity and addiction to identify people at risk of increasing methamphetamine use and to develop and evaluate cognitive training therapies that will empower people with methamphetamine related problems to control their drug use. Outcomes include a risk identification and triage tool and three novel therapies.
From The Laboratory To The Classroom: Validation Of An Innovative Laboratory Model Of Adolescent Impulsivity And Alcohol Use Using A School-based Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$399,267.00
Summary
I am a psychologist focused on understanding how different psychosocial approaches to reducing adolescent alcohol use actually work. I will achieve this using a new laboratory model I have developed to determine the “active ingredients” of different interventions. Using a randomised controlled trial, I will then test whether combining these ingredients produces better outcomes in the prevention of teenage drinking.
Enhancing And Integrating Addiction Neuroscience Knowledge With Clinical Practice, By Transforming The Approach To Assessment And Classification Protocols, And Improving Outcomes By Using Neurocognitive Phenotypes For Tailored Treatments
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$838,845.00
Summary
Brain research has reshaped the way we understand addiction, but has not yet led to more effective treatments. This Fellowship will facilitate the creation of a neuroscience- and technology-inspired research clinic that will conduct world-leading research into the fundamental underpinnings of how lifestyle and psychological interventions affect brain and mental health, as well as translate this knowledge into effective, safe and accessible treatments tailored to those affected by addiction.
Imaging The Brain Connectome In Typical And Atypical Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
My project will investigate how connections in the brain change during the transition from childhood to adolescence. Advanced neuroimaging techniques will be used to understand how different parts of the brain are connected to one another, and how this changes over time. I will examine typically developing children, as well as those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in order to understand how neuropsychiatric disorders affect brain development.
Methamphetamine-induced Habits And The Re-establishment Of Behavioural Control.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$577,079.00
Summary
The aim of this project is to understand the neural bases of drug addiction, specifically methamphetamine addiction, particularly the changes in neural processes that render drug seeking compulsive. We aim to establish the physical and chemical changes in the brain that cause the changes in decision making induced by exposure to drugs of abuse, most notably the changes that result in a loss of behavioural control.
Impact Of A Sleep Intervention In Children With ADHD: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,230.00
Summary
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects up to 7.5% of Australian children. Between 50 and 70% of parents also report sleep problems (eg night waking, insomnia) in their child with ADHD. Such sleep problems are associated with poorer child behaviour, concentration, and school attendance as well as poorer parent mental health and work attendance. This randomised controlled trial will determine whether treating sleep problems in children with ADHD can improve these outcomes.